South Lakeland

South Lakeland's population grew older between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in health and work life.

The population passed 100,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of South Lakeland increased by 1.3%, from just over 102,000 to 104,000.

The addition of just under 1,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, South Lakeland was home to, on average, 0.49 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres). This made it the North West's second-least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older South Lakeland

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of South Lakeland increased by four years, from 44 to 48 years.

This agricultural area had the highest average age in the North West and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 4,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 3,000.

About 16% of people in South Lakeland are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and South Lakeland by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in South Lakeland

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in South Lakeland, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the North West.

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 30% to 36%.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) people aged 16 and over in South Lakeland said they were single, compared with 24% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 56% to 54%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of South Lakeland residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.6% to 4.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69% in 2001. The percentage of South Lakeland residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in South Lakeland decreased by 4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in South Lakeland, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in South Lakeland working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 11% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in South Lakeland decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in South Lakeland, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in South Lakeland at a faster rate than across England.

In South Lakeland, the proportion of households without children increased from 67% in 2001 to 70% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61% to 61%.

Across the North West, the share of households without children increased from 59% to 61%.

The proportion of households with children in South Lakeland fell from 24% to 22%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 8.5% to 8.0%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

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